


There’s No Place Else I Could Be

by rafaelbaseball



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Anniversary, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Ocean Sex, Public Sex, Thunderstorms, Vacation, lawyer boyfriends in hawaii
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-30
Updated: 2018-04-30
Packaged: 2019-04-30 03:09:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14487519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rafaelbaseball/pseuds/rafaelbaseball
Summary: Sonny is so in love. He’s been so in love for what feels like so long now that he can barely remember what life was like before his heart had belonged to Rafael.One year. It’s been one year, and Sonny can’t believe he’s here, he’s wanted and loved. Rafael Barba is lightning and when he strikes, he’s thunder. It’s appropriate, then, that a thunderstorm is what’d led them here, to this moment.





	There’s No Place Else I Could Be

“‘It’ll be great,’ you said. ‘The perfect place for our anniversary,’ you said.” 

Rafael scowls from the lobby of Il Lupino Trattoria at the abysmal weather outside, as if Mother Nature had chosen to personally target him and honestly, he has to admit it feels that way just a little. Their hotel is a five-minute walk away but the second they’d gotten up from their table after paying for their meal—Italian, because of course, complimentary anniversary cannoli and all—it’d started pouring rain. A flash of lightning followed by a booming crack of thunder had been enough to convince them another drink or two wouldn’t be such a bad idea but now, Rafael is walking that fine line between happily tipsy and drunk, the power has already gone out once, and they’re no closer to being back in the comfort of their ocean-view room than they’d been when the weather had turned. 

What makes it even worse, Rafael thinks, is having to hear from four different people now that the sun had been relentless up until this point. Two of those four people had teased, “you must have brought the thunder with you from New York,” and while Sonny had offered the courtesy laugh, Rafael had only been able to muster more of a grimace than a smile. Honestly, what’s the point of a getaway when they can’t even get away from shit weather?

“Well, it’s paradise,” Sonny is arguing weakly, drawing Rafael’s attention away from the rain beating against the windows. 

“Paradise,” he echoes with disbelief, a challenging brow raised. “Does this look like paradise to you?”

“We’ve only been here for a few hours, we’ve got four more days. I’m sure it’ll let up.”

“You’re a weather expert now?” Rafael deadpans. 

He shouldn’t, really, he’s not even _that_ angry and certainly not at Sonny. It’s nobody’s fault a thunderstorm has greeted them on their first night in Hawaii, nobody’s fault they’ve chosen staying dry in the restaurant over making a break for the hotel, nobody’s fault their anniversary plans for tomorrow might be completely destroyed if this doesn’t come to a stop.

Rationally, he knows this; but his back still aches from sitting on a plane for eleven hours straight, his neck is still sore from the way it’d been angled while he’d rested his head on Sonny’s shoulder for a restless sleep, and the jet lag comes and goes in waves. Right now, he’s being hit with a very strong swell. He should probably just be grateful that the restaurant is air-conditioned because he’d complained about the mugginess and heat the second they’d stepped off the plane.

_Jesus._ Rafael frowns into his nearly empty glass of wine, unsure of whether he’s more frustrated over the weather or the sudden bout of self-reflection. The fact that Sonny has put up with him in a relationship for a year now is somewhat stunning, which Rafael tries to remind himself, even as an exasperated huff escapes him. 

“I want to go back to the room,” he says, glancing up at Sonny, who merely nods and lift his own wine glass to his lips to finish off his pinot. 

With their tab already closed out, there’s nothing left standing between them and the heavy rain waiting for them outside. The hostesses offer grimacing sympathetic smiles as they stand at the door, watching, hoping for any sign of the storm letting up. 

“We’ll just have to make a run for it,” Sonny says, shrugging his jacket off. 

Rafael frowns at him. “What are you doing? It’s pouring out there, you’re taking the jacket off?”

“It’s for you.” Sonny holds the jacket out for Rafael to take. It’s almost too sweet an offer to handle. “I can’t get you an umbrella, this is the next best thing. Don’t look at me like that, it’s not a big deal, just take it.”

It’s not a big deal, Rafael agrees, not in the grand scheme of things; but it’s little gestures like this that have made their relationship stronger. It’s little gestures like this that have shown Rafael what kind of person Sonny is, the genuine goodness inside of him. Little gestures like this are what make Rafael fall in love with him more and more every day.

He can see the hostesses whispering to each other out of the corner of his eye, what one of them with a hand clutched over her chest. Frankly, Rafael can relate, and he takes the jacket with the warmest smile he’s been able to muster all day.

“My hero,” he teases, bumping a hip against Sonny’s as he prepares himself for heading out, the jacket held over his head. 

“I’ll make sure to remind you that you called me that tomorrow,” Sonny counters. He takes a breath, looking from Rafael to the rain then back. “Ready? _Go_!”

—

It’s just past two in the morning when Sonny groggily blinks his eyes open. He takes a few seconds to do the math in his head, sighing when he remembers they’re six hours behind New York now so on a regular day, he’d already be at work. He can feel Rafael’s chest against his back, Rafael’s arm hanging over his waist, and he’s careful as he shifts so he can turn over to face his boyfriend.

Rafael doesn’t budge, his light snoring doesn’t let up, and Sonny’s smile is soft and fond because this is a rarity. He doesn’t get to do this often, just lie in bed and watch Rafael sleep, because Rafael is often up and on his second cup of coffee before Sonny even has a chance to kick the covers away. 

He lifts a hand to graze the back of his knuckles against the light stubble on Rafael’s cheek, grateful for the peaceful expression he finds and hoping it stays that way for the rest of their trip. They’d had a rocky start, it’s true, but he doesn’t hear rain outside anymore so maybe if they’re lucky, they’ll get to bask in the sun for the next four days. Sonny hopes so, anyway, it would do them both so much good to relax, to spend their quality time together just resting, away from the city and the temptations of a case that might lure them back to work. 

They’d both rather prefer, too, not to have to deal with getting drenched in an effort to get back to their room. The hot shower had helped, but Rafael hadn’t been able to ward off his shivering until he’d changed into sweatpants and curled up against Sonny in bed. He’d fallen asleep quickly enough, somewhere around Trevor Noah’s first guest, but it hadn’t been the best way to end an evening. 

Besides, Sonny thinks, there’s a ring in his suitcase that he’d purchased specifically with this trip in mind. He needs Rafael in a good mood for a moment they’ll never want to forget.

Another ten minutes pass before Sonny realizes he won’t be falling asleep again anytime soon and against his better judgment, his mind starts to wander. His eyes wander, too, traveling down the length of Rafael’s body. He trails fingertips over Rafael’s bare shoulder, letting his hand come to rest between them, against the warmth of Rafael’s belly and the dusting of hair just below his belly button. Sonny bites down hard on his lip, trying to resist that heat building within him, that want and desire Rafael so often inspires in him, and he’s just about ready to force himself to roll onto his back so he can turn on the TV again instead when Rafael stirs.

“Sonny?” Rafael lifts his head, hair a mess and sticking up in a way that’s always so endearing. He blinks the sleep from his eyes, squinting at the clock then at Sonny. “It’s two in the morning.”

“Sorry I woke you,” Sonny murmurs, pressing a kiss to the tip of Rafael’s nose. “Time difference is getting to me. You can go back to sleep.”

“The rain stopped.” Sonny hums his confirmation. The corners of Rafael’s lips twitch upward. “You were watching me sleep. You were touching me.”

“Yeah,” Sonny answers sheepishly. “You looked so peaceful. It’s hard not watch you when you’re that gorgeous, even when you’re snoring.”

Rafael scoffs, earning a bellowing laugh from Sonny. “Aside from the blatant lie about my snoring, I don’t mind.” He inches closer, hooking his fingertips in the band of Sonny’s boxers. “I don’t mind the touching part, either, just for the record.”

“Is that right?” He pushes himself up to rest on an elbow, already feeling his arousal growing, and he grins teasingly before leaning forward to graze his teeth over one of Rafael’s nipples, his free hand gripping his boyfriend’s ass. His low chuckle at the shiver that travels up Rafael’s spine vibrates between them, causing goosebumps to rise on Rafael’s skin. “You know, technically, it _is_ our anniversary now. We could get an early start on celebrating.”

“Yes, please.” Rafael palms Sonny through his underwear, needy and already close to desperate to feel skin against skin. He can’t remember the last time he’d felt like this with anyone before Sonny, the last time he’d wanted someone so badly _all_ the time, the last time he’d caught himself daydreaming about someone in the middle of the day. 

When they’d started this thing between them, there’d seemed to be an unspoken agreement that it could never become serious. Colleagues with benefits, that’s what Rafael had convinced himself they were, but somewhere along the line, he’d come to the understanding that he was the only one who’d believed that. Sonny makes him feel wanted, _loved_ , so when Rafael tries and fails to think back to the last time he’d felt that way, he’s fairly certain it’s because he’s never felt like this before in the first place.

“Wait.” Sonny’s hands come to a sudden stop, making Rafael pout. “It stopped raining.”

Rafael narrows his eyes. “We covered that, yes. Sonny, focus.”

“No, no.” Sonny sits up, eyes far too bright for this time of night. “I have an idea.”

“Okay, I was just looking for a midnight quickie, a nightcap. You sound like you’re about to pitch an escapade.” But Sonny’s already rolling out of bed, and Rafael groans, letting his head fall back against his pillow before following suit. “This better be good, Carisi, or your life for the next four days is going to be a living hell.”

\--

When they reach the deserted lagoon, towels in hand, Rafael decides the next four days of Sonny’s life are, indeed, going to be a living hell. It’s chilly outside, which seems strange to say about Hawai’i, but he has his towel wrapped around his shoulders and the breeze doesn’t help. Wet sand feels foreign between his toes, he can see the mist of the sea spray in the air, and he has to wonder how Sonny could possibly think this could be a better idea than having sex in the comfort of their nice, warm hotel bed.

“You know, if we get caught, we could be charged with indecent exposure.” It’s an admittedly poor point to make when they hadn’t even seen anyone wandering the halls or lobby on the way down to the beach, but Rafael sees no harm in throwing it out there. “Do you really want to go home with a misdemeanor on your record?”

“We won’t get caught,” Sonny assures him, setting his towel down and closing the gap between them, cupping Rafael’s cheeks so he can lean in for a kiss. “It’s past two in the morning, nobody’s out here but us.”

“You don’t see anything wrong with that? And another thing, I don’t want sand getting in places it shouldn’t be.”

“You won’t have to worry about that, either.” Sonny grins, gesturing out toward the ocean. “It’ll just get washed away.”

Rafael’s brows lift and he whips the towel from his shoulders, letting it dangle from one hand while the other rises to shove a finger in Sonny’s face. “I’m sorry, you want me to go out _there_? Now? When you had this idea, did you take into account that the water would be _freezing_?”

“I’ll keep you warm, Raf, I promise.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

Sonny has the audacity to roll his hips, grinding their bodies together, looking all too pleased with himself when Rafael can’t resist moaning. “Be ridiculous with me. We’re in Hawai’i, it’s our anniversary, we should open ourselves up to a little adventure.”

Rafael purses his lips but he drops the towel and finds the hem of Sonny’s shirt, curling the fabric in his fists as he rolls his eyes with a smirk. “Fine. But you’re carrying me back to bed when we’re done.”

“I think I can deal with that,” Sonny tells him, catching Rafael’s lips with his own, their tongues finding one another. The kiss breaks only so they can take each other’s shirts off, the heat between them combating the chill of the night. 

They should be more careful about the trail of clothes they’re leaving behind, Sonny thinks as he kicks his underwear from his ankle, but Rafael’s fingers find their way around his cock and suddenly, it doesn’t matter. 

It doesn’t matter until they take one single step into the water, and Rafael lets out an ear-shattering shriek. Choking on a laugh, Sonny lightly slaps a hand over Rafael’s mouth, his heart racing with a little bit of panic, a little bit of excitement, and he spares a quick glance over his shoulder just to make sure they’re still alone.

“Rafael.” Sonny does his best to sound stern, but he’s still holding back laughter so it’s not early as effective as he’d hoped. “Come on, it’s not that bad.”

“It’s cold,” Rafael says, “I told you it’d be cold!”

“And I told you I’d keep you warm, didn’t I?” Sonny takes Rafael’s length in hand this time, stroking slowly, his tongue flicking over his lips at the sight of how quickly Rafael grows slack-jawed. “We’ll take it slow.”

It takes time, but they have time. They don’t go too far out, just far enough so they’re more than waist-deep but Sonny’s feet still easily touch the sand. Once they’ve settled, Rafael’s legs wrap around Sonny’s waist and their lips find each other again. Sonny’s fingertips travel down the length of Rafael’s spine, he grins into the curve Rafael’s neck when he earns the shiver he’d been hoping for and continues downward until he reaches the crease of Rafael’s ass. 

The moan in his ear when he teases a finger against Rafael’s hole, the way the grip around his neck tightens as he slowly eases that finger deeper, it all serves to make Sonny’s cock twitch against Rafael’s belly, hard and ready and eager, but Sonny bites down lightly at the curve between Rafael's neck and shoulder, then on the inside of his own cheek just to keep himself present, to keep a grip on his awareness. They don’t have lube out here, no matter what they do, Rafael’s almost definitely going to be hurting later, so Sonny is perfectly fine with taking his time. He eases his finger leisurely in and out of Rafael’s body, letting a second and then a third join. He leaves soft kisses along his boyfriend’s jawline and cheeks and temples while taking stock of every grunt and moan and spasm until he hears a needy plea. 

“More. Please, Sonny, I need more.”

They both need more. 

Being with Rafael, just _being_ with him, always somehow leaves Sonny feeling simultaneously fulfilled and wanting. He can’t get enough of this man, of his heart and his spirit and yes, on an entirely shallow note, his body. Not an inch of Rafael has gone unexplored, they’ve spent many nights taking it slow to the point of it being almost maddening, even though it’s by choice. Sonny has licked and nipped and kissed his way from top to bottom, he’s left bruises and handprints, but he could never tire of this, of running his hands down Rafael’s sides or over the curve of his ass. He knows the placement of every mark, from the freckle beside Rafael’s right ear to the birthmark on his right arm. This is familiar, this is home.

Sonny is so in love. He’s been so in love for what feels like so long now that he can barely remember what life was like before his heart had belonged to Rafael. 

One year. It’s been one year, and Sonny can’t believe he’s here, he’s wanted and loved. Rafael Barba is lightning and when he strikes, he’s thunder. It’s appropriate, then, that a thunderstorm is what’d led them here, to this moment. 

“Tell me if it’s too much,” he says, shifting his feet to better balance himself, digging toes into cold sand. He takes hold of himself, guiding his cock to Rafael’s ass then slowly rolling his hips until he’s pushed past the tight ring of muscle. 

Their gasps are drowned out by the crash of a wave against the shore. For a moment, they stay like that, still until the current encourages them to move, lost in each other and only in each other. 

“I love you.”

Sonny’s jaw drops. He can taste salt on his tongue but it’s secondary to the pounding of his heart in his chest. This is far from the first time he’s heard those words, but they still hold so much power over him. Once they’d started their relationship in earnest, they hadn’t bothered to slow down, neither of them had let anything hold them back. They’d been sleeping together for months before Sonny had finally admitted he wanted more than that, he’d even worked up a whole speech on _why_ they’d be good together and yes, it _would_ be possible to make it work. He hadn’t needed to give it. 

They’d both wanted more. 

“I love you, too.”

They’re just three words and most of the time, they don’t seem like they’re enough but right now, it feels like they’re saying everything they need to say to each other. They’re alone, out in the ocean in Hawai’i in the middle of the night, and it almost doesn’t seem real. He thinks about that, every now and then, when things are particularly heated in the bedroom or when Rafael looks at him like he’s hung up the moon. Sonny knows that look because he looks at Rafael like that all the time, even before they’d gotten together, and somewhere along the line, he’d realized Rafael is the first person he’s ever made love to who’s actually loved him back.

Rafael chooses that moment to move, to shift his position, and the feeling of that tight heat enveloping his cock while the cool water slaps against his back is indescribable, a fresh wave of it sends a shock up Sonny’s spine. It makes his hips stutter, effectively destroying their slow and steady pace. Rafael lets out a stunned cry, muscles tensing all over his body, and Sonny murmurs a soothing apology.

“I’m sorry, baby, I’m sorry. Do you need me to stop?”

“Don’t.” Rafael’s voice sounds gravelly, desperate. He lets out a deep exhale. Sonny can feel the trembles and twitches running through Rafael’s body, can feel Rafael urging himself to relax, to let himself adjust. “ _No te detengas_ , don’t you dare stop. You feel—” Rafael pauses, biting down on his lip then huffing out a hoarse laugh. “God, you feel so good.”

They move with the swells of the ocean, Sonny’s thrusts shallow and unsteady, but it’s more than good enough for them both. He ducks his head to nip at Rafael’s collarbone, sucking at the skin beneath it. There might be a hickey there tomorrow. Sonny can’t deny a part of him is looking forward to finding it in the morning. 

Rafael’s whimpers echo into the night and the ocean around them, each one resonating between them. It’s more intimate than Sonny thinks they’ve ever been. They’ve never had sex in public before, it’s nothing like what Sonny has occasionally fantasized about on nights Rafael’s working late. More than a few times, he’s pumped his cock through his fist, eyes closed as he pictures bending Rafael over the desk in his office, fucking him with the door wide open, welcoming the risk. This, he must say, is significantly better than anything he could’ve imagined.

“ _Sonny_.”

 

Rafael breathes his name like he’s ready to beg. It sends a thrill through Sonny, there’s just something about knowing his is the only name that spills from Rafael’s lips like that. They move together, Sonny’s hands helping to lift Rafael’s hips then letting them sink back down until he’s filled again. Rafael’s head falls back, baring his neck, that Adam’s apple, smooth skin Sonny can’t help but lean forward to taste him. 

He’s so beautiful. It’s all Sonny can think as Rafael rides him, he’s so beautiful. Under the light of half a full moon and a sky scattered with stars, Rafael has never looked more ethereal. Sonny draws a hand off Rafael’s hip, snaking it between them instead so he can take hold of Rafael’s neglected cock, stroking gently until Rafael groans, a shiver coursing through him. He lifts himself upright again so his lips play at Sonny’s earlobe. 

“I’m going to come.”

Rafael says it between short, shallow breaths. Sonny’s eyes widen, hips bucking at having those words whispered in his ear, but the shock of it fades and he smiles, pressing a kiss against salt-and-pepper hair dampened and darkened by the ocean spray. 

“Do it,” Sonny murmurs. He quickens the pace of his thrusts, still limited by the water, but it’s effective enough because he can feel Rafael tightening around his cock. “Do it, I’m so close. Come for me, Rafael.”

With a shuddering cry, Rafael obeys, a burst of warmth in Sonny’s hand quickly washing away with the sea. Sonny is quick to follow, his arms wrapped around Rafael’s waist, holding Rafael as close as he can, then burying himself as deep as he can with one final thrust before he finally lets go. 

When he finally comes back to himself, Rafael is there, trailing kisses down Sonny’s neck in between attempts to catch his breath. Rafael’s legs stay wrapped around his waist as Sonny slips out of him, palms resting on Sonny’s chest. Their eyes lock and they exchange small smiles in the dark, smiles meant only for each other.

He’s going to marry this man. One day, whether it’s in the near or distant future, that’s the plan. Tomorrow— _tonight_ —he asks the question, and the thought of it sends butterflies flurrying in his stomach. They’re good nerves, the best kind of nerves. Sonny’s smile widens into a grin. He nudges his nose against Rafael’s then steals a kiss. 

“Happy anniversary.” He says it with a laugh, a teasing smile, but Rafael lifts a hand from the water and ghosts wet fingertips over Sonny’s cheek. 

“It could thunderstorm every day for the rest of this trip and I’d be okay with it,” Rafael says. His tone is almost pleading, like he _needs_ Sonny to understand. “You know that, right? The only thing that matters to me about being here is that we’re together.”

“You’re not just saying that because you got laid, are you?”

Rafael grimaces. “Sonny—”

“I know, Raf,” Sonny interjects. “I know. If we don’t leave our room again until it’s time to go home, you won’t find me complaining.”

Rafael nods, seemingly satisfied with that answer. He kisses Sonny again, lazily, reveling in the afterglow that’s going to have to be short-lived because he’s shivering again and this time, from the cold. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten you said you’d carry me back to our bed.”

Sonny tilts his head back, amusement showing in the crinkles beside his eyes. “Don’t worry, I knew you wouldn’t let me forget. Anyway, it’s a small price to pay.”

“That so?”

“Of course. I’d carry you anywhere.”

**Author's Note:**

> This was a prompt fill on [Tumblr](www.rawresparza.tumblr.com) for "Barisi in a rainstorm" that got away from me. I hope anon and all of you enjoy it, and I have officially learned about myself that I am incapable of doing short prompt fills. I'm definitely happy to take them if anyone wants to send some my way... just be prepared for it to take some time to get posted because Sonny and Rafael just don’t know when to quit. Anyway, the boys definitely need a relaxing destination vacation, okay? Thanks for coming to my TED talk.


End file.
